Peace Action Newsletter #1

Richard Ochs

Baltimore

Newsletter #1
Feb. 1, 2018

DEMONSTRATION FOR PEACE IN KOREA: There will be a “peace torch” passing in Baltimore on the opening of the Olympics on Friday, February 9 at 5 PM at Mount Vernon Park, Charles and Centre Streets in solidarity with North and South Korea’s rapprochement. We will hold signs to oppose U.S. military threats, nuclear and otherwise. That will be followed by dinner at 7 PM and the TV viewing of the opening ceremonies of the Olympics at 8 PM, venues to be announced. We look forward to seeing the North and South Korean athletes march together to the consternation of U.S. imperialists. “No nuclear war!”

LOBBY DAY: Peace Action chapters from several states will visit the offices of Senators and representatives onTuesday, Feb. 13. Those wishing to attend can send an email to: richardochs10@gmail.com

CLOSE GUANTANAMO RALLY: There willbe nationwide demonstrations against the continued extra-judicial detention, torture and secrecy of inmates at the “Gitmo” prison on Friday, Feb. 23. Time and place TBA.

TRIAL SUPPORT: We are calling on supporters of the “Hoyer Yemen Seven” to attend our trial on March 19 at 9:30 AM in Superior Court, Washington DC. Seven defendants had a court arraignment on Jan. 31 for staying past closing time in the DC office of Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer in pursuit of a meeting to oppose U.S. arms and aid to SaudiArabian bombing and blockading of Yemen. We were not given a meeting with staff or even a phone conference that day though we requested a meeting weeks in advance and waited 4 hours in the office.

The “Whip” Hoyer advises other Democratic representative how to vote and he killed a decent bill (H.R.Res.81) to instead pass a bill (Res. 599) which ignores U.S. arms and blames Iran, which could lead to war on Iran. Hoyer did not even ask for the blockade to be lifted, even though Trump did two days before Hoyer’s bill was voted on. Thousands of children are dying of starvation and cholera from the blockade of food and medicine.

RECENT ACTIONS: Members of Peace Action, PSR and NCNR visited Maryland Senators and Representatives in January to express our opposition to U.S. military aggression and threats to Yemen, North Korea and Iran. The threat of first use of nuclear weapons by the U.S. was opposed, as was provocative U.S. military war games there.

Member also marched in the MLK Day parade on Jan.15 and picketed an Islamophobic speaker at the Baltimore Council of Foreign Affairs on Jan. 19. We held signs against hate speech at the Baltimore Women’s’ March on Jan. 20.

Peace Action has chapters in 22 states and 6 counties in Maryland. The Baltimore Chapter started with 40 signers on our email list at the Conference Against Foreign Military Bases on January 13, 2018. To get on this mailing list, email: richardochs10@gmail.com